Which is a better expenditure: GoPro or Scuba Tank?

[Zef]

Most dive videos shot by non-professionals are rather boring to watch (for that matter this is true for videos shot of almost any activity), and just wind up in a folder on a hard drive taking up memory space.

Based on local prices, I calculated the break even point for tank ownership where I live to be about at the 60 dive mark in the first year and then about 2-4 dives each year thereafter, with a few more dives the year a hydro is due (here in Belgium a visual is only required every 2.5 years, as opposed to every year in the US).

The greatest benefit of owning a tank is the convenience of not having to drop it back off at the dive shop at the end of the rental period. This especially an issue if your home, dive site(s), and dive shop are not in close proximity to each other.

Another concern is task loading....if you are a new diver you have plenty of things to be aware of such as buoyancy control and body trim that fiddling with a go-pro will not do much to help.

My recommendation is that If you want to watch some good diving videos with your friends and/or relatives then watch some national geographic explorer. If you want to get good at and enjoy diving more, then get out and dive more often....a tank will take you further in that regard than a video camera.

If you are hard pressed to spend your money then go with a tank. I second the recommendation on buying a used tank...a well taken care of steel tank may outlast you, and will decrease the number of dives needed before you break even on the investment.

-Zef

 

[stuartv]

You should know/learn how to dive steel 100s and AL80s, regardless. They're the same diameter and the HP100s are something like 2" shorter. It's really no big deal to go back and forth between them. If you're going from an HP100 to an AL80, add 6# of lead to your rig and go.

Having one tank is kinda useless - unless your normal deal will be to go dive somewhere where you only do 1 dive and then go home.

I own 8 tanks and 3 smaller, deco cylinders. Owning my own single tanks turns out to be of questionable value. Especially if I knew I could rent steel 100s everywhere that I was going to go dive. Renting a full tank usually only costs $2 or 3 more than bringing my own tank and having it filled. So, I only save $2 or 3 per dive by having my own tanks. And I spend a non-trivial amount each year on VIPs and the occasional hydro.

If you can rent tanks at the lake that's near you, then I'd say to consider getting an SJ9000 (GoPro clone - $50 on eBay) and use the rest of the money to go diving.

 

[stuartv]

Oh, and +100 if you do decide to buy tanks, look for used!

I have 4 x HP100s and 4 x HP120s and I paid between $100 and 250 each for them all. 3 pairs of them included a manifold and bands for doubling them up.

 

[MaxE]

Fabers being even less of a good investment for salt water diving because their coating is terrible. Hot dip galvanized are basically a requirement in my book for salt water diving

Well faber now makes a hot dip galvanized tank.

Faber Hot Dip Galvanized HP100 Steel Tank - Dive Right in Scuba

Not an endorsement just saying.

 

[Tank33064]

Just my two cents from a new diver, but a person with common sense. I'd go with the tank hands down. The money you will save from tank rentals will pay for your GoPro in about 30 dives. So if you're planning on being an active diver the tank is the best way to go, however, if you plan on only diving a few times a year then I'd suggest the GoPro. Hope that helps. This is an awesome board and I'm thankful for all the great advice I read from experienced divers

 

[tbone1004]

I am aware that they do, but they are just released, completely untested, haven't reached their full dealer network yet and won't for several months, and are quite expensive. Do I want a pair of used galvanized steels, or a single new galvanized steel for the same price? They are hunks of steel, they don't wear out

 

[SOFDiver]

I too would go for the tank. And it is true that you will be diving that same tank for many years. As for a GoPro or any other camera, I can't count the number of GoPros that have been lost on dives, or just left aboard because they were just too much trouble to deal with. I would suggest you work on your diving skills unburdened by a camera, when skills are mastered then pick up a camera.

 

[MaxE]

I am aware that they do, but they are just released, completely untested, haven't reached their full dealer network yet and won't for several months, and are quite expensive. Do I want a pair of used galvanized steels, or a single new galvanized steel for the same price? They are hunks of steel, they don't wear out

I agree 100% on used v new tanks. The original post seemed to refer to new tanks so I mentioned that new hot dip galvinized tanks could be found. Avalibility may be an issue. I personally would not be overly concerned with them being untested. Hot diped steal is not a new technology and has been perfected across many an industry. But fundamentally I agree with you I would look for two used tanks for less cost than one new one.

 

[_Ralph]

How often do you go diving? (or will go if you owned a tank)

How much is it to rent a tank (or few) from you LDS for when you drive all that way to the dive site?

How much is it for a fill (if you owned your tank)?


_R

 

[Bob DBF]

Tank, hands down. I believe the distraction of a camera should wait until you have more experience diving. A distraction can easily turn into an incident quickly underwater, seen it happen to others, had a few interesting moments myself.

And used tanks are the way I go.


Bob